Obstacle course

ABSTRACT

An interactive obstacle course characterized by a multitude of interlocking units which correspond to give the sections of the ceiling the capability to descend and ascend. In addition, the path of the obstacle course is able to be changed countless times to offer an ever-changing challenge.

This invention provides an improved obstacle course with interactive components making its attributes uniquely different from previous obstacle course.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a portable, interactive obstacle course offering a variety of maze-like paths. This game is beneficial to the promotion of entertainment, teamwork, physical challenge, and mental retention for the players. This game includes a number of interlocking mechanical parts wherein some may work independently of the others to either cause, decelerate, prevent, or retract the collapsible suspended surface's operation. Pressure applied to a floor panel is the catalyst for the levers, gearwheels and cogged surfaces that comprises the invention's mechanical body to cause the suspended surface to descend. A rolling component, controlled by a separate combination of levers, gearwheels and cogged surfaces, enables corresponding components to be separated, allowing the suspended surface to be returned to its starting position. Each individual floor panel is capable of being locked through the manipulation of corresponding gears, creating an opportunity for the obstacle course's path to be altered a multitude of times.

SUMMARY

Considered broadly, the invention relates to a portable, interactive obstacle course consisting of interlocking frames that operate through the use of mechanical parts, where each frame can operate either independently or in conjuncture with the neighboring frame.

The mechanical framework performs a unique function with respect to the collapsing of the suspended frame. Each individual floor panel is capable of being locked to prevent it from operating or unlocked and capable of initiating the corresponding framework into motion.

The invention possesses numerous benefits and advantages in physical and mental development, embodied in an obstacle course. In particular, the invention utilizes the players' memory as well as intellect and sense of team work. In addition, the path of the course can be altered and reset multiple times to offer numerous challenges.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the obstacle course.

FIG. 2 is angled view of the left side of the obstacle course detailing half of the left sidewall and the apertures on the left side of the main deck's frame. FIG. 3 is a singled out portion of the main deck with its aperture that corresponds to the rotating piston chamber.

FIG. 4 details how the brackets underneath the main deck are designed to support the rotating piston chambers and their connecting beveled gears, with sections of the deck embossed to clearly detail the brackets and rotating piston chambers.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the obstacle course with the right side omitted to detail the standing girder and its relationship to left side of the deck, its left sidewall, and the obstacle course's ceiling.

FIG. 5A is a close up view of the top cogged half of the primary braking system.

FIG. 6 shows both the deck's serrated wheeled rack, its connected wheel, and its placement within the main deck's track, and an exploded view of the attached primary braking system where included is the standing girder erected on a raised stand over the wheeled rack.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the main deck's wheeled rack and how it corresponds to the spindle and gearwheels which are constructed underneath a row of foot panels. Also shown are the sidewalls rotating mounts along with the attached torsion springs. The components are shown here without either the deck or sidewalls for clarity of the drawing.

FIG. 8 is a detail of the second braking system constructed underneath the main deck with the deck embossed to emphasis the second braking system.

FIG. 9 shows both the front end of a foot panel with the rack that corresponds to the gearwheels shown in FIG. 7 and the back of a foot panel with the piston to be inserted into the rotating piston chamber first shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 9A details the relationship between the foot panels/pistons to the main deck's rotating piston chambers, with surrounding structures omitted for clarity of the drawing.

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the obstacle course detailing the ceiling and the ceiling's frame.

FIG. 11 is an overview of the completed obstacle course.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The obstacle course shown in FIG. 1 is assembled on an opened bottom platform deck (1) with the surface of said deck embossed or otherwise imprinted with a central grid (2), which within are apertures (12). The grid specifies the arrangements of the foot panels (FIG. 9) and as the grid is only central, the surrounding width of the deck's edges remain bare designating these areas as the deck's frame, with said frame being labeled as: the front frame (3) at the entrance; the left frame (4); the rear frame (5) at the deck's exit side; and the right frame (6). The left and right frames having two rows of ports (7, 8). The rear frame consist of ports (9), The left frame is indented down the center creating a wheel track (10). At the left frame's mid point is a raised bridge-like apparatus constructed as a stand (11). In regards to the deck's central grid, within each grid are centered apertures (12) through the surface.

The inner walls (13) are secured into the ports (7). The outer walls (14) are secured into ports (8). On the rear ports (9) is secured a specialized wall (15) of a lesser height and that is comprised of cut out rungs (15 a). Note that the inner walls have a raised bottom. The inner side of the outside walls (15) consist of a rotating mounts (16) designed to readily fasten to the spindle ends (FIG. 7) and that which can either be a clasping bracket or, as shown in this embodiment, a connecting male counterpart.

As seen in FIG. 2, on the left sidewall of the platform and within each axis of the horizontal grid lines are apertures (17).

Shown in FIG. 3 the relationship between the center aperture (12) that is designed with the rim of said aperture formed into a track to provide a course for travel for the rotating piston chamber (19). The rotating piston chamber has a rimmed base constructed to spin freely around the track and also has at the center of its base a shaft (19 a) running down into a beveled gear (19 b). At the mouth of the rotating piston chamber is an extended subpart (19 c). Also shown, a compression spring (20) is placed inside the rotating piston chamber through piston chamber's mouth.

FIG. 4 is a depiction of the deck's underbody pole supports (18) hanging near the center apertures (12) at varying lengths equaling those of the rotating piston chamber shaft (19 a) to level off in front of the beveled gear (19 b), also shown in FIG. 4. Note that starting with the rotating piston chamber on the left side, to the middle one, to the right side one the lengths of the shafts (19 a) advantageously increase from shortest to longest as does that of the pole supporters (18).

In FIG. 5 we see the standing Girder (21) or beam having a base designed to be fastened onto left frame's stand (11) where it is erected tall to eventually connect to the ceiling. The top half of the brake shown in FIG. 5A is teethed (25 d) or otherwise cogged so as to mesh with the grid's casing that is shown in FIG. 7.

The rack (22) shown in FIG. 6 consists of wheels (22 a) at both ends. It travels upon the indented track (10) of the left frame, thusly moving underneath the girder. As shown, the wheeled rack consists of serrations (22 b) or notches along its length. Also shown in FIG. 6, the case (23), which is erected from the wheeled rack at a point where it will meet with the front facing side of the girder (21), is constructed to encase the base of the brake with said case having pegs (23 a) or any apparatus to be assembled at the cases' inner walls and configured to hold the brake in place with said apparatus pressing a spring (24) or some resilient device onto the brake to clamp the brake to the case. The spring will also return the brake to the case after the brake has been driven from the case. At the mid point of the case's sidewall is a pivot pole (23 b).

The first part of the brake system, shown in FIG. 6, is comprised of a bar (25) of two parts with the bottom half being the base that fits into the case. Shown in one embodiment of the design the base has apertures (25 a) designed to partner with both the pegs (23 a) and spring (24). Also shown, the base is constructed with an indenture (25 b) with pivot hole (25 c) on its sidewalls where it will align with the pivot hole (23 b) of the case.

FIG. 6 also details the spacer (26) which is placed inside the brake's indenture (25 b). It consists of a screw port (26 a) at its mid-section which aligns with the pivot holes (23 b, 25 c). The lever (27) passes through a predetermined opening in the outer wall (15) and through the pivot holes (23 b, 25 c) to fasten onto the screw port (26 a).

Shown in FIG. 7, the spindle (35) with attachable gearwheels (36) at interspersed sections where both ends of said spindle are secured onto the rotating mounts on the inner part of the outer wall (15). The specialized gearwheel (37) at the left end of the spindle meshes with the wheeled rack (22). Torsion springs (38) are fastened around the rotating mounts (16) with one also connecting to the specialized gearwheel (37).

Shown in FIG. 8, the second part of the brake system is comprised of a series of interlocking gears (29 b, 30 a) attached to sets of poles (29, 30) of varying lengths that are in ranking secured by the outer wall's pole supporters (15 b), the platform's left side wall apertures (17), and the surface's underbody pole supporters (18) with the last gear of each pole (31) engaging the rotating piston gear (19 b) and that at the top of the first pole (29) in each set is formed a turning knob (29 a).

The foot panels (39) are shown in FIG. 9. The underbody of each foot panel is comprised of a piston (40) with a flange (40 a) and is inserted into the rotating piston chamber (19) and a serrated or notched rack (41) to mesh with the gearwheels (36).

FIG. 9 a shows the relationship between the rotating piston chambers (19) and the pistons (40).

The drop ceiling (32) shown in FIG. 10 is comprised of a tightly stretched masking (33) sandwiched between two frames with a perimeter that is slightly less than the perimeter of the deck's surface and that has a girder casing (34) adjacent from it's outside frame that fits over the girder (21) in a sheath-like fashion with said casing having it's side facing the platform's entrance cogged and having the out facing side adorned with a handle-bar (34 a).

FIG. 11 is an overview of the completed obstacle course.

BACKGROUND ART

Children often find it enjoyable to compete in physical contests that involve running, jumping, crawling, climbing, etc. Because children often find such activities enjoyable, it would be a benefit to have a portable obstacle course system that could be used as an entertainment activity for birthday parties and the like activities that could be easily transported to the activity site, that could be rapidly set up in a variety of configurations and that could be rapidly taken down. 

1. Housed within a shell of which the outer walls' design may vary to accommodate aesthetic preferences, the invention is an interactive obstacle course where the objective of the game is to transverse the length of the course to exit over the back wall at the rear of the obstacle course while avoiding to step onto any unlocked foot panel that will trigger the ceiling's unique attribute of slowly descending and/or avoiding to cause the ceiling to descend too far as to block off the players' exit. The course operates through a system of interlocking mechanisms that includes gearwheels, levers, pistons, and springs on a platform deck and foot panels that are capable of being individually locked and unlocked. Movable components on the deck's frames enables selected sections to separate, making it possible for the drop ceiling to descend and ascend along a beam-like structure that provides the course of travel for the drop ceiling. The obstacle course has the benefit of being set to different levels and paths. Though the shell's design may vary, three attributes remain constant: one being that it includes a series of slots through which the handles of a lever and the knobs of the brake system can stand through, two that it includes pole supporters, and three a torsion spring flap.
 2. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein mentioned the foot panel being the catalyst. On the underbody of each panel are serrated racks and pistons that are inserted into partnering piston chambers on the surface of the deck mentioned in claim
 1. A compression spring inside the piston chamber, on top of which rests the bottom of the piston, assists in raising the foot panel back to it's initial position once pressure from the foot panel has been elevated. However, once the foot panel has been stepped on or otherwise depressed, the serrated rack meshes with a partnering gearwheel that is attached to a detachable spindle. Note that both the piston chambers and the partnered gearwheels also keep the foot panels balanced.
 3. The combination defined in claim 2, as the gearwheel is rotated so does the spindle turn, thus causing the specialized gearwheel attached at the end of the spindle to rotate, with said gearwheel being attached to the inner part of the sidewall at a rotatable mount and fitted with a torsion spring.
 4. The combination defined in claim 3, wherein mentioned the specialized gearwheel, said gearwheel is positioned to mesh with the rolling rack that travels along a track that is secured along the left frame of the deck. As the specialized gearwheel is rotated forward it drives the rolling rack backwards. Included on the rolling rack is one part of the brake system which is an erected cogged brake bar.
 5. The combination defined in claim 4, wherein mentioned the cogged brake bar, said bar stands at an intermediate point on the rolling rack on a track and has teeth that mesh with the cogged ceiling's casing and has a base designed with an opening fixed with a screw port. Also on the rolling rack, a plate stands in front of the cogged brake bar up said brake bar's midpoint. Within the space between the cogged brake bar and the plate, fitted into the opening of the base is a bar used to separate the cogged brake bar from the case. The ceiling's casing sheaths the beam-like structure as defined in claim
 1. As mentioned in claim 4, when the rack and subsequently the wall and cogged bar are driven backwards by the forward rotation of the specialized gearwheel as defined in claim 3, the cogged bar is separated from the drop ceiling's casing thus causing the drop ceiling to begin its descent.
 6. The combination defined in claim 5, wherein mentioned the spacer bar, in order to reset the ceiling a player must first separate the cogged brake bar from the ceiling's casing. This action is performed with the spacer bar to which is attached a lever. The lever is extended through the outer wall and through the screw port at the base of the cogged brake bar and attaches to the spacer bar. When the lever is turned it turns the spacer which separates the cogged brake bar from the case.
 7. Reversely from the action defined in claim 2, wherein mentioned the foot panel being stepped on, once pressure is released from the foot panel it is elevated to its initial point by the piston's compression spring and the spindle's torsion spring working together to dually raise the foot panel and rotate the specialized gearwheel in reverse thus driving the rolling rack and subsequently the cogged brake bar forward. This will cause the cogged brake bar to reconnect with the ceiling's casing thus further preventing the ceiling from descending.
 8. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein mentioned the rotating piston chambers, at the mouth of the rotating piston chamber extends a flange or a catch and the bottom of the rotating piston chamber, extending underneath the deck's surface, is formed into a beveled gear, with said gear designed to interlink with the second part of the brake system, the gear system.
 9. The combination defined in claim 8, wherein mentioned the gear system which are a series of interlinking beveled gears connected by poles. Starting from the first pole secured vertically within supports along the inside of the outer wall and with its top formed into a turning knob, the pole ends in a beveled gear that interlinks with a horizontal beveled gear connected to a pole, with said pole being secured horizontally within supports along the underbody of the deck's surface and that ends in a final beveled gear, with said final beveled gear interlinking with the rotating piston chamber's beveled gear. Note that there is a gear system for each rotating piston chamber's beveled gear where the length of the poles are varied so as to accommodate the distance of the chamber's beveled gear starting from the left side of the obstacle course.
 10. The combination defined in claim 9, wherein mentioned the gear system, to lock an individually foot panel a player must turn the turn knob, which in turn causes the first beveled gear to rotate, thus rotating the interlinking beveled gear, in which in turns rotate the rotating chamber beveled gear. This turns the chamber so that the flange at the mouth of the chamber meets with flange from the foot panel's piston and preventing the foot panel from being depressed if it a player should step and/or stand on it.
 11. The combination defined in claim 6, wherein mentioned the first step to resetting the obstacle course, once the action described in claim 6 has been performed a player can use the ceiling's casing, now separated from the cogged brake bar, to raise the ceiling to its initial setting. 